Before fleeing the flames, the man accused of starting the Palisades fire reportedly asked ChatGPT if he’d be at fault for a blaze caused by cigarettes. Hours later, Los Angeles was burning.
A 29-year-old Uber driver named Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested on Oct. 8, 2025, for maliciously starting the deadly Palisades wildfires, which took the lives of 12 people and destroyed around 6800 structures in Los Angeles’ wealthy neighborhoods. Rinderknecht was reportedly the only person present at the site of the origin of the wildfires, and even offered to “help” the firefighters as they arrived.
However, the most shocking thing found during the investigation of his cell phone was his conversation history on the popular AI software, ChatGPT. Allegedly, Rinderknecht asked the AI bot, “Are you at fault if a fire is lift because of your cigarettes?” He also later generated images of a burning city on the app, which were admitted as circumstantial evidence in court for his conviction.
What really happened on January 1?
According to the federal complaint obtained by Fox News’ national correspondent Bill Melugin, Rinderknecht dropped off an Uber rider in the Palisades during the early hours of New Year’s Day and drove up to the Skull Rock trailhead before walking up to the “Hidden Buddha.” A little while later, surveillance cameras began detecting the beginning of the fire that turned into the Palisades fire.
Rinderknecht then repeatedly tried calling 911 with his mobile phone data, which helped the police locate him just 30 feet away from the origin of the fire. As the fire trucks drove in, he parked his car at the Skull Rock trailhead away from the location. However, he later came to offer help to the firefighters trying tirelessly to extinguish the raging flames, which they found “unusual” and raised suspicion about him.
What was the actual cause of the Palisades fire?
In their official statement, the feds had ruled out fireworks, power lines, refraction of sunlight on glass, and lightning as culprits behind the deadly fires. After the final investigation, Rinderknecht was narrowed down as the only person present in the area of the initial fire based on his cell phone’s ping, who also admitted that he brought a lighter on the trail after he parked his car.
Based on all the evidence, the investigative team has announced that the cause of the Lachman Fire, which led to the Palisades fire on Jan. 7, was “the introduction of an open flame (likely a lighter) to a combustible material such as vegetation or paper.”
Rinderknecht’s initial appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. EDT on Oct. 8, 2025, in the U.S. District Court, Orlando.
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